Our work
Finished ADUs across San Diego County
We'll show you projects near yours. In the meantime, here's a sample of what we build.
Now get the right builder.
Plans drawn. Architect signed. Permits in motion. You've already invested $25,000–$75,000 getting here. The builder you choose now either protects that investment — or puts it at risk.
Distinct ADU — CA Contractor License #1098351 — San Diego County's ADU Specialist
What's at stake
Most homeowners at this stage go out for multiple bids and choose the lowest price. Here's what that often costs them — in delays, correction notices, and a finished product that doesn't match what they paid to design.
A general contractor doing their 3rd ADU will learn San Diego's inspection process on your project. They'll discover the field conditions, the inspector preferences, the common correction points — all for the first time, on your timeline and your budget. We've been through it 432 times. Nothing surprises us.
Why Distinct ADU
We build ADUs exclusively. Not kitchens, not additions, not commercial. Just ADUs — every day, all year, across San Diego County. No other local contractor can say that.
We know San Diego's inspectors personally. We know what gets flagged, what gets approved, and how to keep your project on schedule when a less experienced contractor would stall for weeks.
Soil conditions, setback surprises, utility connections — nothing on a San Diego ADU is new to us. Problems that stop other contractors in their tracks, we resolve in hours.
We can show you finished ADUs near you — not renderings, not photos. Real completed projects you can walk through, touch, and evaluate before you decide.
One company manages everything end to end. No finger pointing between subs, no homeowner caught in the middle. You deal with us — that's it.
You've already invested in great plans. We build what your architect designed — not what's easiest for us. Your vision is what we're here to execute.
The difference experience makes
Inspectors have real discretionary power in the field — and how your contractor handles those relationships determines whether your project stays on schedule or stalls.
"One thing most homeowners don't realize until it's too late — inspectors have real discretionary power in the field, and how your contractor handles that relationship matters enormously. After 432 ADUs we know San Diego's inspectors, we know their preferences, and we know how to keep your project moving when others would stall for weeks waiting on a correction notice."
Inspectors fill gaps in plan language. We write and review plans knowing exactly how San Diego inspectors read them.
When site conditions differ from plans, inspectors have latitude. We've navigated every variation across 432 San Diego projects.
A correction notice can cost 2–4 weeks. We know what triggers them and how to prevent them before they happen.
Our work
We'll show you projects near yours. In the meantime, here's a sample of what we build.
What our clients say
"We had our plans ready and interviewed four contractors. Ian was the only one who actually knew the inspectors and could speak specifically to our neighborhood's permit history. That gave us enormous confidence."
"We'd spent over $40,000 on plans and permits and were terrified of choosing the wrong builder. Distinct ADU's track record made the decision easy. They knew every answer before we finished asking the question."
"The inspection process alone was worth choosing a specialist. They knew exactly what to expect at every stage and we had zero correction notices. Our ADU was rented within two weeks of completion."
No pitch. No pressure. Just a straight conversation about your project and whether we're the right fit. Twenty minutes is all it takes.
(619) 992-2648Call or text Ian directly
Distinct ADU · CA License #1098351